The only thing I can think of is it's a deliberate attempt to get under a random stranger's skin, a childish attempt to provoke a reaction. The reaction - ANY reaction - is what I think they're really after - and that would include asking them why. My response to shit like this is to just shrug and move on; by denying them a reaction you've spoiled their fun.

I still feel that they'd learn their lesson if their act produced unwanted consequences. Like maybe a straight-faced 20-minute lecture on Jesus. Offer to drive them to meet your pastor. Or follow them around the store and out to the parking lot, giving them creepy stares. Annoying strangers can be dangerous, and they should be educated to that.

Yeah, I know, you're right. It's better not to engage the stupid. But fun to think about anyway.

__________________Women can do anything men can.
But we don't because lots of it's disgusting.
Maxine

I still feel that they'd learn their lesson if their act produced unwanted consequences. Like maybe a straight-faced 20-minute lecture on Jesus. Offer to drive them to meet your pastor. Or follow them around the store and out to the parking lot, giving them creepy stares. Annoying strangers can be dangerous, and they should be educated to that.

Yeah, I know, you're right. It's better not to engage the stupid. But fun to think about anyway.

Fun to think about, yeah. But definitely ill-advised. Following someone around like that, even for a short time, even just to 'teach them a lesson', is fertile ground for a felony charge for stalking. And we all know it's damned likely that the individuals in question would invent some fictitious details for the police report. I don't even want to think about where THAT path could lead....

The only thing I can think of is it's a deliberate attempt to get under a random stranger's skin, a childish attempt to provoke a reaction. The reaction - ANY reaction - is what I think they're really after - and that would include asking them why. My response to shit like this is to just shrug and move on; by denying them a reaction you've spoiled their fun.

As for the age, I'd guess the first two to be in their early to mid twenties; the second girl to do this to me was probably about 17 or so.

It seems unlikely that two separate sets of individuals would come up with the same stunt, so I'm wondering if maybe there had been something on TV that they're copying? It almost sounds like a really lame Saturday Night Live skit.

At a guess, I'd say this is an exercise in "I have breasts, ergo I can make people do stuff for me". They'd better enjoy it while their looks last...

Arg behavior like this irratates me. I am also one of the vertically challenged people who needs help from tall people to get things off high shelves. I hate to think that this little might ruin it for those of us who actually need the help and are appreciative of such help. (cause I know people would get suspisious of me if this happened to them before cause I am unfortunatly young looking in addition to being short.)

I found out what this stunt was/is - it's not a prank at all. It's a setup for an ambush.

The idea, it would seem, is to get somebody so riled up they'll follow the girls out of the store, where they have friends waiting who will happily 'protect' them - and relieve you of any cash and/or valuables in the process.

Why such an elaborate setup? Two reasons:

1. It allows the "associates" to pick a part of the parking lot AWAY from the surveillance cameras and/or potential witnesses. This caper is usually pulled in the wee hours, when most customers are parked much closer to the store. If you're angry enough, you won't notice you're being led into the less-populated area of the parking lot.

2. It gives the victim a reason to NOT report it to the police. The victim was, after all, engaged in what is legally considered stalking. "Why exactly DID you follow the girls out of the store all the way out to the end of the parking lot, Mr. Smith?"

There are several ploys to pull you in, but if you take the bait and confront them about it, they'll do anything and everything they can to irritate you further. The more agitated you are, the less likely you are to think clearly.

Thinking about it, it's quite clever. Goad somebody along enough that reason and common sense take the night off, then lead them to an isolated area where accomplices can ply THEIR trade, and leave the victim with a damned good reason to keep his mouth shut about the whole thing. And it's my understanding that this bit is quite successful.

Wow. Just wow. Thank you for telling us. How did you find out? I'm not questioning you, just being nosy.

BTW, if you were that nice guy today who saw me standing on tiptoe to try to reach for a bottle of yummy white chocolate syrup and reached over my head to hand it to me without me asking, thank you again. Small acts of kindness like that are appreciated and remembered.

Wow. Just wow. Thank you for telling us. How did you find out? I'm not questioning you, just being nosy.

BTW, if you were that nice guy today who saw me standing on tiptoe to try to reach for a bottle of yummy white chocolate syrup and reached over my head to hand it to me without me asking, thank you again. Small acts of kindness like that are appreciated and remembered.

I have a couple of friends (both the badge-carrying and civilian variety) in our local police department. I don't even remember how it came up in the conversation Saturday night, but it did, and he was suddenly all ears. Seems a couple of people HAD taken the bait, and DID file a police report. They even have suspects, apparently - I'm supposed to go Monday morning and look at some pictures, but I'm afraid I'm not gonna be much help. It's been several weeks since the first time they tried it with me and I don't remember a whole lot what they looked like.

And no, that wasn't me, but whoever did help you has MY gratitude as well. I won't let this episode stop me from assisting those who need a li'l help reaching things. Because, if it DID stop me, it means the assholes have won.